Jena Irene: “Barracuda.” Jena has been a strong contender for weeks (and probably my overall favorite). But she’s starting to hit a new stride. She looks great. She works the stage. She oozes confidence and charisma. Tackling Ann Wilson is no small feat. But Jena seems to be truly emerging as a real breakout. FINALLY.

Keith Urban says she “set the bar high.” Jennifer Lopez thinks she can “win.” Harry Connick, Jr. encourages her to “find something” to push even further.

Sam Woolf: “It’s Time.” Sam seems to be opening up vocally. This is probably the most alive and excited he’s sounded. But there’s still a sense of trepidation/terror in his performance. He just never seems fully comfortable. Compared to the stronger singers, he seems in over his head.

C.J. Harris: “American Woman.” C.J. is the weak link at this point. His vocals just aren’t going to get much better than this. As it stands, he doesn’t give the song nearly the grit, soul and sex it needs. He’s too laid back — a pussy cat when he should be a lion.

Harry again brings up “intonation.” Keith felt a “disconnect.” JLo thinks it was “shaky.”

Alex Preston: “Animal.” I’ve been tough on Alex throughout the season, mostly because I think he rests too much on the quirky acoustic guy vibe he’s cultivated over what’s likely several years. This is poppy and bright and fun. Alex sounds great on the song. It could easily be on the radio right now. I enjoy this overall.

Keith says “the song and the band was kind of on top of you.” JLo says there was “a little bit something missing.” Harry liked that it was uptempo.

Caleb Johnson: “Sting Me.” This is clearly the Caleb zone. He effortlessly handles the song. But I’m not crazy about the actual song choice. This is likely who Caleb is as a singer: a bit Southern, a bit retro. But again, he needs to be thinking about making modern-day music. This almost feels too easy. (And he apparently dropped the microphone, which we didn’t really see because of a cutaway.)

Jessica Meuse: “Somebody to Love.” Jessica is stuck. She never seems completely engaged or committed or excited to be there. She’s a potential frontrunner, but she sabotages herself, in some way, every time. Keith has told multiple acts they need to work on “release.” That’s exactly what Jessica needs to do.

Harry calls it “really strong.” Keith wants “a little more release.” YES SEE WHAT DID I SAY. JLo wants more “freedom.”

Sam 2: “You’re Still the One.” Oooooooooooooookay. This is going to get him a ton of votes. It plays perfectly into Sam’s appeal: sweet and precious and “Awww.” I can’t hate. Sam does a good job with it. And he even reaches out and touches the crowd! He may be smarter than we all suspect.

Keith wants him to “relax more.” JLo says he “sang it well.” Harry wants him to lyrically connect.

Caleb 2: “Undo It.” This feels like a great idea on paper. And it mostly works. But Caleb seems slightly behind the song. He also, almost seems to be straining at times. This worries me slightly. Can he truly handle contemporary tunes?

JLo says he “did a great job.” Harry says it felt “forced.” Keith calls it “great.”

Alex 2: “Always On My Mind.” We are squarely back in Alex’s comfort zone. His voice is clear as a bell here, and the small changes he makes to the arrangement work. It’s a bit Ed Sheeran, which isn’t a bad thing.

Jena 2: “So Small.” Another Carrie song from another frontrunner. Emulate who you want to be like, right? The vocals are slightly messy, but it almost makes the song more interesting. The slower tempo adds new layers of emotion, and Jena’s rasp gives it some much, much-needed grit. I may like this better than the original.

And Jena really, really needs to win this thing.

Keith says she is “everything that ‘Idol’ has always been about.” JLo “had the goosies again.” Harry doesn’t like “the ornaments.”

C.J. 2: “Whatever It Is.” It’s time to go, C.J. It’s been time.

JLo “expected a tiny bit more.” Harry says he “can’t get by with songs like that.” Keith also cites song choice.